February 22, 2011
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Indian Wells 2011: Tennis' Delightful Oasis Joel Drucker In the same way that baseball aficionados relish spring training, tennis lovers can’t ask for a deeper level of engagement than to stroll through the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and the BNP Paribas Open. Having covered this event since 1983, I have come to relish the way this tournament’s weather and timing shape an experience at once edifying, social and even surprising. Indian Wells personifies the paradox of the tennis fan’s experience: As much as the tennis of enduring consequence takes place at the end of the tournament, there are far more goodies for spectators in the early rounds.
Pack on the sunscreen, don a hat, dress comfortably and get to the grounds as early as possible. To take in the dry desert air, to wander across practice courts watching the best players in the world, to bump into various tennis fans from all around the world – this is a rich pleasure, far different than merely parking your butt inside a massive stadium (though there’s time enough for that too). As the matches get underway, there’s the chance to stumble into two lesser-known players going at it on a small court. Later in the day, there’s a strong likelihood one of these venues will also feature a rip-roaring doubles match. Sandwich some of your own tennis before or after this and it’s as good a day as a tennis player could ask for. What’s great about this early round approach is that it’s much more about craftsmanship than celebrity, more about process than outcome – and the chance to watch the very best players in the world from incredibly close distances. Added to the mix this year is the debut of the Hawk-Eye challenge review on every court.
Of course a tournament this size boasts many story lines. On the men’s side, there are perhaps signs that Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal duopoly could be beginning to splinter. Novak Djokovic displayed impressive, power baseline tennis to win the Australian Open, at heart bullying Federer into submission with thundering groundstrokes – tools that make the Serbian perfectly-equipped for the slow hardcourts of Indian Wells. Working with Paul Annacone, what tactics will Federer deploy? I also suspect the slow hardcourts of Indian Wells – arguably the slowest hardcourts in the world – will not be the place for Federer to unveil too much more netrushing. Then again, it’s a long year, so perhaps Federer will continue to invest in the long-term tactics that will enable him to triumph at the venues he cares about most, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. As for Nadal, to have seen him injured in Australia was disturbing. Once again, the Spaniard comes to that fork in the road between his off-the-charts will and the physical challenges often wrought by his technique. I sense that Indian Wells will not yet be the time for the prime Rafa of 2011. But even more than those at the very top, it’s those near who have even more invested in performing well at Indian Wells. Can Andy Murray show more positive emotion than he did in the Australian Open final? Will a force like Robin Soderling – my Indian Wells dark horse – snag a big title? Ditto for Tomas Berdych or Fernando Verdasco. Where do things stand with America’s longstanding top dog, Andy Roddick? And what about the other Americans, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey and John Isner? Each of these players brings a host of tools – and for any one of them, taking this title would be a major step forward.
The women’s side is even more wide open. The odds-on favorite is Kim Clijsters. The reigning Australian and US Open champion has timed her year wisely, taking nearly a month off prior to arriving in the desert. It’s fascinating to see how Clijsters’ maturity and the nature of contemporary women’s tennis – mostly a retinue of mobile counterpunchers -- have put her at the head of the class. Fair enough, but during Indian Wells I will certainly lament the retirement of stylish and passionate Justine Henin, as well as the absence of the Williams sisters (now a decade into their Indian Wells boycott for reasons that will never be fully understood). A sigh also for the erosion of former number ones Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic – though I hold hope that each of these powerful baseliners can make a significant resurgence. Equally intriguing is the fate of Caroline Wozniacki, Na Li and ’09 champ Vera Zvonareva. Each of these players has made their share of waves in the last year – and as with the men, taking this title would be a significant step. As I finish, I note that I’ve not mentioned either of the defending champions. Ivan Ljubicic’s win last year was quite surprising, a well-deserved win for longstanding, hard-working pro – who also hit some of the finest serves and backhands of his career. It’s hard to believe, though, that he can repeat that performance. Jelena Jankovic has indeed been a sustained top tenner for several years, but to me she’s always been an accidental tourist among the very best, her goofy manner concealing a beguiling level of complacency. She too prefers life under the radar. Tickets for BNP Paribase Tournament in Indian Wells
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